Braun, Brewers, MLB spar over drug policy

PHOENIX - Ryan Braun, the National League's MVP, said that Major League Baseball's drug-testing process is fatally flawed, and is threatening legal action, after a positive drug test nearly resulted in a 50-game suspension.

Major League Baseball issued a sharp rebuke to comments made by Braun and his teammates as the sport's drug-testing program again came under heavy scrutiny in the wake of one of its brightest young stars becoming the first player to successfully appeal a positive test.

Braun, in a 25-minute press conference after talking privately with his Milwaukee Brewers' teammates, insisted that he has been clean throughout his professional career, and vehemently denied that he has ever taken banned substances.

"The program, as it applied to me,'' Braun said, "was fatally flawed. I've certainly been frustrated by the process. I've felt it's been unfair.

"Are there changes that should be made? I believe, yes. ...

"Today's about making sure this never happens again to anybody else who plays this game.''

MLB executive vice president Rob Manfred, in a prepared statement, lashed back, but acknowledged changes may be made to the policy.

Said Manfred: "Major League Baseball runs the highest quality drug testing program of any professional sports organization in the world. It is a joint program, administered by an independent program administrator selected by the Commissioner's Office and the MLBPA.

"The extremely experienced collector in Mr. Braun's case acted in a professional and appropriate manner. He handled Mr. Braun's sample consistent with instructions issued by our jointly retained collection agency. The arbitrator found those instructions were not consistent with certain language in our program, even though the instructions were identical to those used by many other drug programs including the other professional sports and the World Anti-Doping Agency.

"Our program is not 'fatally flawed.' Changes will be made promptly to clarify the instructions provided to collectors regarding when samples should be delivered to FedEx based on the arbitrator's decision. Neither Mr. Braun nor the MLBPA contended in the grievance that his sample had been tampered with or produced any evidence of tampering."

Brewers All-Star outfielder Corey Hart, for one, believes that the current conditions do not lend themselves to a fair testing environment.

"We feel it's a flawed system,'' said Hart. "Instead of blaming people for what happened, they have to take responsibility. The system is not as good as we thought it was, and this case proves it.''

Victor Conte, former founder of BALCO, believes that Braun should have been suspended. He believes that MLB will soon adopt the guidelines followed by the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA), requiring that the burden of proof is on the athlete.

"What happened here with the technical error had no effect with the test results,'' Conte said. "If WADA was handling this case, Braun would be positive. He would be suspended.

Braun said that he submitted a urine sample at 4:30 p.m., Oct. 1, after the Brewers' 4-1 playoff victory in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The drug-testing collector, who administered the test, is required under the guidelines to immediately ship the test from a Federal Express to MLB's laboratory in Montreal. Yet, the official apparently thought that the Fed Ex offices were closed until Monday. Braun said that his legal team discovered that five Fed Ex offices were open until 9 p.m., including one that was open 24 hours. The test was not sent out until 1:30 p.m. Monday, Braun said, providing ample time for the sample to be tampered.

"As players, we're held to a standard of 100% perfection regarding the program,'' Braun said, "and everybody associated with that program should be held to the same standard. We're a part of a process where we're 100% guilty until proven innocent. If we're held to that standard, it's only fair that everybody else is held to that exact same standard."

"I don't look it as a technicality. They have strict guidelines they're supposed to follow,'' said Brewers pitcher Chris Narveson, their player-representative. "Just like us, if we don't follow strict guidelines, we get in trouble. The administrator didn't follow the guidelines. That's the error. One person has a different agenda than anything else.

Narveson said that they had problems in Milwaukee throughout last season in the drug-testing procedures. MLB administrators did not provide ample time to inform them of the testing on several occasions, and they now wonder if their urine samples were sent to the laboratories in proper fashion.

"We want drug testing,'' Narveson said, "that's never been an issue. But we just want it done right. Sometimes there's errors or problems. All it takes is one administrator to mess up and it causes fault.

"Obviously, with a glitch in the system, there could be errors. We just want all that cleaned up. We want it done right. It takes just one administrator to mess it up.''

Said Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy: "People are now going to question everything that happens, and rightfully so. Even though that Brauny cleared this up, this will be attached to him the rest of his life. He'll be painted with a broad brush that he's a cheater. And that's sad.''

Braun said that he didn't want to falsely accuse the administrator, but hinted at legal action against those involved in the procedure as well as ESPN, which originally broke the story that Braun tested positive for a tainted substance.

"I did not do this,'' Braun said. "If I had done this intentionally, or unintentionally,'' Braun said, "I'd be the first one to stand up and say I did it. …I truly believe in my heart, and I would bet my life, that this substance never entered my body at any point.''

The players' association released a statement Friday that did not point a finger at MLB for the leaked test result, saying

Said MLBPA executive director Michael Weiner: "The breach of confidentiality associated with this matter is unfortunate but, after investigation, we are confident that it was not caused by the Commissioner's Office, the MLBPA or anyone associated in any way with the Program. In all other respects, the appeals process worked as designed; the matter was vigorously contested and the independent and neutral arbitrator issued a decision deserving of respect by both bargaining parties.

"As has happened several times before with other matters, this case has focused the parties' attention on an aspect of our Program that can be improved. After discussions with the Commissioner's Office, we are confident that all collections going forward will follow the parties' agreed-upon rules."

Braun, who told USA TODAY in December that the positive drug test was "B.S.,'' remained quiet throughout the appeal process. Yet, it was the most painful time of his life, he said, never having the opportunity to savor his MVP award.

"I've always had tremendous respect for the game of baseball,'' Braun said, "and part of the reason I stayed quiet was to put the best interest of the game ahead of the best interest of myself. It hasn't been easy. There were a lot of times when I wanted to come out and tell the entire story, and attack everybody like I've been attacked, as my name was dragged through the mud. As everything I've ever worked for in my entire life has been called into question.

"There were a lot of times I wanted to come out and tell the entire story, but at the end of the day, I recognized what's actually best for the game of baseball and I put that ahead what is actually best for myself.''

But Brewers players also were annoyed at Manfred's statement that MLB "vehemently disagrees with the decision rendered by arbitrator Shyam Das."

Braun said that MLB was entitled to its opinion, but his teammates believed the statement cast a cloud over Braun that will never fade.

"I'm disappointed that baseball is taking the stance they are,'' Hart said. "Obviously there are things that need to be changed, but instead of recognizing that things need to be changed, they're trying to make themselves feel a little bit better by saying that's the only reason he won. It's disappointing they're not being as upfront as they should be.

"Things need to be changed. The system isn't as good as they thought it was. And this proves it. His offseason was ruined because of it. Instead of trying to make things better for them, they're trying to make it worse.''

Said Lucroy: "I was disappointed in that. It was almost like a sore loser move. I think that was a low blow and it wasn't right for them to do that. The process worked in favor one time, for an MLB player, and they say something like that, I don't think that's right."

Braun, who won his appeal Thursday, drove seven hours from Los Angeles with his girlfriend, and arrived at the Brewers' spring-training facility at 9:30 a.m. He addressed his teammates for about 20 minutes, thanking them for his support, and telling them that he was innocent.

"It showed the character of the man,'' said Brewers outfielder Nyjer Morgan. "He wasn't emotional, but it was heartfelt. He was more pumped up than anything that we had his support.

"Really, by him being here now, it feels like Christmas around here.''

Brewers manager Ron Roenicke, who only saw Braun once this winter during the BBWAA banquet in New York when Braun received his MVP trophy, said it was important that Braun addressed his teammates. Roenicke and the coaching staff left the room, he said, to permit Braun to be only with his teammates.

"They needed to hear it,'' Roenicke said. "I think it was important to them, and also to Ryan. Anytime one of your leaders is questioned a little bit, thing change.

"His character was in question of the winter, and I don't think it'll be questioned again.''

Braun, who said that he learned Oct. 19 that he failed his drug test, immediately requested to be re-tested. It was clean, according to his representatives, but the decision stood. He immediately appealed, and questioned the drug process, particularly the collector who delayed shipping the urine sample.

"I've always stood up for what is right,'' Braun said. "Today is about everybody who's been wrongly accused, and everybody who has had to stand up for what is actually right.

"Today isn't about me. It isn't about one player. It's about all players. It's about all current players, all future players, and everybody who's played the game of baseball.

"This is my livelihood. This is my integrity. This is my character. This is everything that I've worked for in my entire life being called into question.

"We need to make sure we get it right.''

Braun also lashed out at different segments of the media for declaring him guilty before he had a chance to prove his innocence. He also ridiculed reports that his testosterone was elevated to alarming levels since he was being treated for a sexually transmitted disease.

"There's never been a personal medial issue,'' Braun said. "I've never had an STD. Many of the stories that were erroneously reported by the initial network (ESPN) continues to live on. It's sad and disappointing that this has become a PR battle and that people continue to leak information that's inaccurate.

"We won because the truth is on my side. The truth is always relevant and at the end of the day, the truth prevailed.''

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